A Business Venture?
by theoofoof
Summary: One-shot following on from 5x06. Just what was Mrs Hughes' response to Mr Carson's suggestion? Contains spoilers (obviously).


**A/N:** I fought my muse on this for four days, but she was not to be deterred. She was determined that I would right a scene to follow on from last Sunday's episode, so here it is. I don't know that I'm completely happy with it, but I think the best thing to do it to post it and let you guys decide. Please be kind - it is unbeta'd so I apologise if there are any mistakes.

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><p>Mr Carson descended the stairs to the basement once the family had retired for the night. He entered the servant's hall to find Mrs Patmore alone, reading the newspaper.<p>

"Are you the last one?" he asked.

"Yes. Everyone seemed rather tired this evening."

"Not surprising after such a busy day. I forgot to mention earlier, Her Ladyship asked me to pass on her compliments on the blueberry parfait," he told her.

"That's nice of her; but it were Daisy who did most of the work."

"I'll be sure to tell her in the morning," he assured.

"See that you do. Oh, Mrs Hughes was looking for you earlier, she said to ask you to pop in when you came down."

Mr Carson nodded and stood a little taller than before, straightening his waistcoat. He was clearly nervous about whatever it was Mrs Hughes wanted to discuss. Mrs Patmore shook her head lightly, she'd watched the Butler and Housekeeper dance around each other for several years and wished they would open their eyes. She had wondered whether seeing her little cottage would push them along a bit; she just hoped she hadn't pushed too far. She decided to leave them to it, just in case.

Closing the newspaper, she excused herself. "Right, I think doay is catching up with me. I'll say goodnight, Mr Carson."

Mr Carson nodded. "Goodnight Mrs Patmore."

He watched the cook ascend the stairs before making his way to Mrs Hughes' sitting room. He knocked briskly and popped his head around the door. "Mrs Patmore said you wanted to see me?" he said, entering and closing the door behind him.

Mrs Hughes swivelled round in her chair. "That I do, Mr Carson. I thought we could have a glass of sherry and discuss the idea you mentioned earlier?" She indicated to the decanter and two glasses already sat on her table.

"Of course," he replied, swallowing nervously; he had been anticipating this moment all evening, and now that it was here, he found himself feeling rather unsteady. It didn't escape his irony that the one person who had offered her assistance to help keep steady, on a warm, sandy beach earlier in the year, was the one to make him feel this way. Taking his usual seat, he busied himself pouring two small glasses of sherry whilst she finished the work she had been in the middle of when he arrived.

Once she'd finished she moved to join him at the table, taking the glass he passed to her. Sipping the amber liquid, she let out a gentle sigh. "It may not be entirely proper to say so, but I've missed this, you and I sharing drinks and conversation at the end of a long day."

For a moment, Mr Carson wondered if Mrs Hughes had (lost her marbles); they'd had drinks together most evenings, but then he spotted the third glass, sitting on the shelf, unused tonight, and he understood. "I know what you mean. Mrs Patmore is a dear woman, but it's nice to get back to our old routine."

"How was Her Ladyship when you left them?" Mrs Hughes asked.

"Subdued. Naturally, she's worried." The news of Lady Edith's abrupt departure had come as a shock to the family and the majority of the servants.

"I'm sure she'll be in touch when she's had some time to gather the thoughts," she declared reassuringly. Mrs Hughes had her suspicions as to why the young lady had felt it necessary to leave without telling anyone, but she wouldn't share those with Mr Carson tonight. No, tonight was about the two of them.

The spectre of Mr Carson's proposition (she daren't call it a proposal) had been haunting her since he had made it before ringing the dressing gong. So much so, that she hadn't been able to look at him at dinner, instead opting to engage Anna and Miss Baxter in a rather frivolous conversation about lace. She had no doubt that the two of them probably thought her quite mad for her sudden interest in the latest fashions. She'd kept herself sequestered in her office since too and, for his part, Mr Carson had given her the time to digest his offer and think it over.

The truth was, Mrs Hughes didn't quite know what to make of Mr Carson's suggestion that they buy a property together. He had stated in his speech that it was to be a business venture; an investment to benefit them come retirement. However, she couldn't help but think there was something more to it; the way he had cleared his throat before speaking, clearly nervous of what she might say, the way he had said, 'when _we_ retire'. But, she couldn't be sure; was she reading too much into it? Their relationship seemed to have shifted slightly since they had paddled in the sea, but was she seeing everything through rose-tinted glasses?

Taking a deep breath, she prepared herself to address the elephant in the room. "Mr Carson, tell me again why you think we should invest in a property together?"

"Well it's as I stated earlier. If we bought somewhere and did it up, we could rent it out and split the money."

"And this is purely a business venture?" she asked, willing herself not to look away like she so desperately wanted to. She needed him to realise what she meant by her question; to understand the gravity of it and the implications of his answer.

Mr Carson withered slightly under her gaze, struggling to put his thoughts into words. "I…" He gulped slightly and the feeling of unsteadiness rose up within him once more. He thought back to that day on the beach once more. If only it was as simple as holding her hand.

But then again, maybe it was. If he couldn't find the words perhaps actions would be better. He reached across the table and took her hand in gently in his. She raised an eyebrow at his actions, but her expression was soft and warm.

"I'm not quite sure why, but I find myself rather inarticulate around you lately," he began, his voice low and soft. It was a blatant lie, of course, he knew exactly why he was behaving this way, but he couldn't voice it, not yet. "So, if you have no objections, I thought I could show you instead."

He stood, pulling her up with him. They stood toe to toe, closer than they had ever been. Their eyes locked and he reached out to pushed a strand of her hair from her face that his actions had caused to come loose from its pin. His hand stilled, cupping her face; his thumb brushing over her cheeks. Mrs Hughes' unconsciously licked her lips, the act causing Mr Carson to tear his eyes away from hers, his gaze trailing down to the surface her tongue had just swept over.

In one fleeting moment, his lips were on hers. At first she was so surprised by his actions; that the ever proper Mr Carson would kiss her, that she didn't respond, but it wasn't long before her lips began moving along with his.

As their kiss ended, his free arm slid around her and they stood embracing for a moment. She kept her eyes closed, savouring the moment and when she finally opened them, she was faced with Mr Carson's loving gaze.

"It could never be just a business adventure, Mrs Hughes. Not with you." He had found his voice and she was elated. She had hoped for this moment for a good few years now and at times had wondered if it would ever come. But here it was. Finally.

"So you plan for us to live in the property, when we retire… together?"

He smiled bashfully. "We'd have marry of course, but yes, that was the idea." A beat. "What do you think?"

"While I'm not sure that's the most romantic proposal I've ever heard, I am very glad to hear you don't plan for us to live in sin. With that and kissing me like that I was beginning to wonder who you were and what had happened to my decent, respectable butler," she replied, eyes shining with mischief.

"If it's romance you want, then romance you shall have." He took her hand and kissed it gently. He considered going the whole hogg and kneeling, but his sense of the theatrical had lessened over the years, and he wasn't 100% sure he'd be able to get up again if he did, so he made do. "Mrs Hughes, will you do me the great honour of allowing me to court you and, at some point in the future… when we are both ready to retire, make you my wife?"

Mrs Hughes beamed. "Yes, Mr Carson, I will."

He leaned down to kiss her again; a kiss full of love and promise. Mrs Hughes responded straight away this time, her arms snaking around his neck, pulling him close as their lips moved against one another's.

They pulled away a few moments later, their foreheads resting together. "I do have two conditions mind you," Mrs Hughes added, a little breathless from the kiss.

"Go on," encouraged Mr Carson, albeit a little warily.

"Firstly, when we're alone, you call me Elsie."

"I think I can agree to that, if you will call me Charles?"

She nodded. "Very well… Charles"

The way she rolled the 'r' in his name almost made him lean in for another kiss, but he restrained himself, wanting to hear what else she had to say. "And the second condition?

"Well, it's a little delicate…" she began, worrying her bottom lip with her teeth. "Mrs Patmore's cottage was lovely, but I'm not sure I'd like to go back to having… an outdoor privy."

Mr Carson chuckled. "Don't worry Mrs Hu-, Elsie, I may not be a revolutionary like yourself, but there are some aspects of the modern world even I couldn't live without!"

She smiled at him, relieved and allowed him to kiss her again, the vision of retirement… of a future together, more real than ever.

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><p><strong>AN:** Please leave a review to let me know what you think.


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